Crossover Earth '98
Return of a Lady Jay Shaffstall
The woman surveyed the city of New York as if it was her personal domain. Even with the wreckage strewn about from the battle with the aliens, the city had a sense of style. She could close her eyes and almost picture the days when her organization controlled all the criminal activity in the city.
It had been so boring, she'd taken to baiting Armature for excitement. Oh, the times they had! She'd always allow Armature to capture her, in order to be close to him. Then, a neatly timed near disaster would draw him away while she made good her escape.
Life was so simple in those days.
Now, though...three rival groups of organized crime bosses ruled the city. With the breakdown of law and order after the twin disasters of Apocalpyse Now and the aliens, the criminal element was running rampant. The street gangs were taking over large parts of the city, and the organized crime groups battled between them to see who would profit from it. The National Guard maintained order in other parts of the city. Omega Corp had all but abandoned their downtown headquarters, which lay in a no-man's land between the street gangs and the National Guard. To top it all off, the scientists who theorized a link between abnormal stress and superpowers seemed to be correct; the city of New York had seen more than its share of new supers in recent weeks.
Definitely not boring.
The woman reached into a small suitcase and withdrew her working clothes. Loose gray slacks and a cloak, and a gray veil from which her name had come. She changed into her costume, still feeling the same thrill as she placed the veil over her features.
The Grey Veil thought back to Armature's return. She'd found something she thought had been lost, an excitement to life. True, Armature would probably be busy fighting aliens and rescuing human slaves for quite some time, but that would just give her time to regain control of her organization.
The nationwide organization she'd built had splintered and fractured after she retired. In New York, Mike Minetti and Kristi Carmichael had each taken over half of it. A third player, the Truant, had muscled in about the same time and taken part of the city away from them. The same story had repeated in every major city in the country. It would be a long road regaining control, but she would manage it.
The Grey Veil didn't understand today's gangsters. All violence, and no style. In her day, the criminals made their money without fouling their own nest. Today, they wouldn't think twice before bombing a rival. Senseless! Not only would the police get involved, but how could you then take over your rival's operations if you destroyed them?
If it took a touch of violence to retake her organization, though, the Grey Veil was prepared. Psychotics like the Truant only understood violence, and she couldn't see Mastiff accepting defeat and leaving the city. No, she would, in some fashion, need to adapt to the changing times. But always with style.
The Grey Veil left her room and found her way to an office on a lower level. She found Kristi Carmichael waiting for her.
"It's time to plan," the Veil told Carmichael.
Kristi Carmichael nodded, trying to maintain a poker face. She was nervous as hell; she'd never expected to see the Grey Veil again, and here she was back in the flesh. At least her old boss didn't seem angry at Kristi for taking over part of the organization.
"The Truant is our biggest problem," Carmichael said. "He's been hitting both ours and Minetti's operations, and he's had Mastiff try to kill me. If it weren't for Singularity, I'd be history."
"Tell me about her."
"She won't tell me who she works for, only that she was instructed to help me...er, us against the Truant. I get the idea that she's supposed to kill the Truant, but enjoys playing with her food."
The Grey Veil shakes her head slightly. What ever happened to professionalism?
"Contact Singularity and have her come here. Mastiff will try again, and this time we'll be ready."